The worst I’ve ever feared from a police officer is a traffic ticket. And the roughly ten times I’ve been pulled over, I’ve never worried about things escalating to the point of being removed from my vehicle. Not once have I feared for my life.
I hate it that my experience isn’t the same for everyone.
I can’t imagine having to teach my sons how to behave when getting pulled over in order to avoid getting shot. It grieves me that you do.
I don’t think of cops as enemies and I don’t believe most are. But in the light of what we’ve seen in the news recently — an African-American woman (Breonna Taylor) gets shot dead in her own home; an African-American motorist (George Floyd) is humiliated with a knee on his neck for minutes and then dies from it — there is good reason for Black America to be suspicious of police. Sadly, these recent experiences are merely repeats of what has been experienced before.
And beyond that, there have been blatantly racist acts against black people recently — an African-American jogger (Ahmaud Arbery) gets shot down; an African-American birdwatcher (Christian Cooper) has 911 called on him. And sadly, these recent experiences also are merely repeats of what has been experienced before.
I’m grieved by the violence that has erupted in the wake of these piled up incidents, but I’m not in the telling posture here. I’m here to listen. I want to know the pain of my fellow humans and offer my solidarity.
So, I’ve been reaching out individually to some of my black friends, expressing my sincere friendship and asking to let me hear whatever they have to say.
I often have a lot to say. Generally, too much. But for now, I just want to listen.